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Re: temps for whiteworm cultures
> From: J Miller <jkmiller at gpu_srv.ualberta.ca>
> Any other places I might try which would be cooler? I thought maybe in the
> garage, but it still freezes in there.
Probably the best place to grow worms is in what they used to call a
root cellar, back where I grew up in Alberta, probably not so far from
where J Man lives now. In cold Alberta, the root cellar was a hole in
the ground, dug under the house; no concrete even, dirt floor and
everything. That's where you stored your potatoes and carrots for the
winter and other food too but I don't remember it much; I was too small
then.
The really big advantage of underground is that the temperature is
pretty consistent the whole year 'round and even the whole world over if
you go down fer enuf. In my Grandpappy's day however, it was very cold
in the winter and to keep the spuds from freezing, he'd haul pails of
water down there. The water takes a lot of energy to freeze and that
kept the temperature warm enough that the spuds didn't freeze. I don't
know what he did with the pails of ice... probably set 'em on the wood
stove until they were loose enough to chuck. That was when the outside
temperatures were around 30-40 degrees below.
If you can make a hole in the floor of your garage J Man, I'd suggest
digging a hole under there and even putting some concrete in to make it
cleaner and safer and covering it with some good 2"x6" planks or 3/4"
plywood if you aren't going to drive your car on it. Your worms should
be safe from freezing in there. For folks further south needing cooler
temps in the summer, you can do the same thing, even outside. Heck, you
can even keep yer spuds in there! I think you want to go down about 6 to
8 feet to get to a stable temperature and you might want some insulation
on your door.
Fer us folks that live in apartments, I don't know how we're gonna keep
worms going. My wife sure ain't gonna let me keep mine in the fridge.
;-)
Steve